foil
C1Formal/Technical
Definition
Meaning
A very thin, flexible sheet of metal.
1. To prevent something undesirable from succeeding; to thwart. 2. A person or thing that contrasts with and emphasizes the qualities of another. 3. A light, blunt-edged sword used in fencing.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has distinct, unrelated meanings (metal, thwart, fencing, contrast). Context is crucial for disambiguation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The meanings are identical across varieties. The 'fencing sword' sense may be slightly more common in British contexts due to historical sporting tradition.
Connotations
Neutral across varieties.
Frequency
All senses are used in both varieties. 'To foil a plan' is more frequent than the noun 'foil' (metal/contrast) in general discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
foil [sb/sth] (verb)a foil for [sb/sth] (noun)a foil to [sb/sth] (noun)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “act as a foil to”
- “be foiled in one's attempt”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The new security system foiled the data breach."
Academic
"The study uses Character B as a dramatic foil to highlight the flaws of Character A."
Everyday
"Could you pass the foil? I need to wrap these leftovers."
Technical
"The reactor uses a beryllium foil as a neutron moderator."
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- Cover the dish with foil before baking.
- His cheerful manner was a perfect foil for her gloom.
- He fenced with an electric foil.
American English
- Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil.
- The villain was a great foil to the superhero.
- She competed in the foil event.
verb
British English
- The detective foiled the art heist.
- He was foiled in his attempt to cheat.
American English
- Security foiled the kidnapping plot.
- Bad weather foiled our picnic plans.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We use foil to keep food fresh.
- The hero always foils the villain's evil plans.
- The cheese was tightly wrapped in silver foil to preserve its flavour.
- Her pragmatic outlook served as an effective foil to his idealistic rhetoric, highlighting the flaws in his argument.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a hero FOILing a villain's plan, like wrapping their evil idea in ALUMINIUM FOIL so it can't escape.
Conceptual Metaphor
PREVENTION IS WRAPPING/CONTAINING (foiling a plan); CONTRAST IS A BACKGROUND (serving as a foil).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите 'foil' (verb) как 'фольга'. Используйте 'сорвать (план)', 'расстроить (попытку)'. 'Фольга' — только для существительного, обозначающего материал.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'foil' as a verb without an object (e.g., 'The police foiled.' is incomplete).
- Confusing 'foil' (contrast) with 'role'.
Practice
Quiz
In a literary context, a 'foil' is primarily:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are common. As a noun, it often refers to aluminium/tin foil. As a verb, it's common in news/plots ('foil an attack'). The 'contrasting person' noun is more literary.
'Foil' and 'thwart' are near-synonyms for preventing something clever or planned. 'Frustrate' can mean to prevent but also describes causing general disappointment. 'Foil' often implies a clever or last-minute prevention.
Not typically. We say 'wrap in foil'. The verb 'foil' does not mean 'to wrap'.
No, it's a standard international term for that specific type of fencing sword.